Koch SUPERU – Change the Way You Grow
Dave Leaderhouse
The Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on countless aspects of daily life and the La Ronge Ice Wolves have certainly felt the wrath of the on-going crisis.
The Ice Wolves, for example, were coming off their most successful regular season in years last spring when their first-round playoff series with the Yorkton Terriers was halted and eventually cancelled. Then, when play finally got under way this fall, La Ronge was on a four-game winning streak and co-owners of the Sherwood Division lead with the Nipawin Hawks when play once again was suspended.
Last year the Ice Wolves had brought in Daylon Mannon from Fresno, Cal., and his 80 points were among the league leaders. To replace the overage forward, La Ronge this year added 19-year-old winger Brandon Della Paolera from Osoyoos, B.C., and in his first five games with the Ice Wolves the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder had produced two goals and four assists.
Della Paolera comes to northern Saskatchewan after spending the last two seasons with his hometown Osoyoos Coyotes of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. In 80 games with the Coyotes over that time Della Paolera amassed 73 points and 161 minutes in penalties. He also got his first taste of Junior “A” hockey last year when he appeared in a pair of games for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League.
Della Paolera was still midget aged when he played his first season with the Coyotes and his other two seasons in that age class were spent with the Okanagan Rockets of the BC under-18 league. With the Rockets Della Paolera posted 31 points in 62 games.
Everyone is hoping for a safe return to play in the future, but the Ice Wolves have to be biting at the bit and with the addition of players like Della Paolera the team is certainly in a position to take care of some unfinished business.
